Family tree
by Love and Hate and Sex and Pain
Summary: When Katniss' great granddaughter Willow volunteers for her friend in the sixth Quarter Quell, the 175th Games, she is in for a lot more than she signed up for. Follow her through her struggles with losses, love and hate. R&R Please!
1. Chapter 1

Let the 175th Hunger Games begin!

I sprint though the Seam, not wanting to run into Darious. Ever since what happened last week, I've been avoiding him. I leap through backyards and over bushes until I come to my best friend Carra's back yard, to get to her for the yearly Reaping. She yells something I can't quite make out from her kitchen, and then hustles out. She is volumtuous for being so skinny. Her silver eyes are trained on something in her bag. Her dark hair is flowing and wavy, framing her face perfectly. I have always envied her. Her eyes are silver while mine are charcoal grey. Her cheek bones are more fitting. My hair is dark as well, but flat and dull. It is however thick, which I pride myself on. Most people in the Seam have the effects of anorexia nervosa, thinning hair, slightly discolored skin, patches of odd green stuff on them. I have thick hair, olive colored skin, and I'm definantly more curvey then most of the girls in District 12. But Carra is full breasted and stocky. Her only flaw is her slim lips. I have much fuller ones, fortunantely.

"Hurry," I say slightly winded from running 4 blocks. "We still have to get to the town square and you have to fix my hair." I smile.

We walk the rest of the way. When we get there, most of the people have yet to arrive. So we go inside a shop and she fixes me up as she does every year. When we go back out, wind blows at the loose bun that is now stationed on the back of my head. I check in, and as the lady Peacekeeper pricks my finger with that weird thing, I can't help but think where Darious is and what he is thinking. President Milston Paylor wanted to wait until the Reaping to announce what would happen durring this Quarter Quell. It could be anthing. The first, each district had to vote on tributes, the seccond was twice the number of tributes, the third had the tributes be reaped from the existing pool of victors, in the fourth there was aloud to be two victors from the same districts, the fifth the tributes were forced to face their greatest fears. What will they do for the sixth?

"Willow... Come one." Carra yells. She grabs my hand and pulls me to the group of 17 year old. "Don't look now, but Darious is totally staring at you." She says playfully.

I wait a couple seconds, then look. "You're totally right." I chime back.

"God, you're so lucky. You actually got to have his-" she starts.

"Shhhh!" I don't want her telling the whole world!

"In your-"

"Oh my gosh!" I loudly whisper while laughing.

"While he kissed you and-" She says teasingly.

"Carra!" Our conversation is cut short by my cousin, Primrose Hawthorne, when she smacks my hand and laughs at us. She is also 17, but has the merchant look. Blonde hair, blue eyes.

"Pay attention. The treaty of treason has already been said and they are about to pull the names from the oversized fish bowls." She says maturely.

We look over at the odd women onstage with bright orange hair and a blue mini dress. "As usual, ladies first." She says in her silly Capital accent. Her heels click on the stage as she walks over to the bowl, pulls out a slip of paper and clears her throat. "Carra Pattersmith."

Carra looks horrified as people clear her a path to the stage. She starts walking slowly, and as my great grandmother Katniss Everdeen did, I run to her and volunteer. The women on the stage looks annoyed.

"Oh, whatever," she says tiredly."Come on up, dear."

I mount the stage and shake her hand. "What's your name, dear?" She asks me.

"Willow Everdeen." I say. My mother and grandmother both decided to keep Katniss' maiden name. And so have I.

"Everdeen," She says to herself. "As in _Katniss _Everdeen?" She says exitedly.

"Yes... She was my great grandmother." I say looking at my feet.

"That's lovely. Now, for the boys." She walks to the other end of the stage and digs her orange nails into the bowl, and pulls out another slip. "Darious Undersee."

I look at Darious's shocked face, his grey eyes locked on mine. He mounts the stage and we shake hands. I cling to his arm, not caring what people might think of it.

"And now for the Quarter Quell announcement!" The esourt says to estatically. She motions to Darious and I to face the screen behind us. President Milston Paylor's face appears. His voice is low and deep.

"For the 175th Hunger Games, to show the rebels how merciful the Capital is, each tribute will be aloud to bring a small knife, and one food item into the arena. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor." The screen goes blank.

_Oh,_ I think to myself. Well that could've been a lot worse. Two Peacekeepers escourt Darious and I into the old justice building.

I run my fingers over the velvet couch, finding it strangely soothing. I have never seen a more beautiful room. The wood ceiling is carved, the walls matching and the furniture looks very expensive. Carra and Primrose burst through the door sobbing. They rush over to me and wrap me in their arms. I hug them back not wanting to let go. I tear up as well. Primrose pulls back and cups my face in her hands.

"If Katniss could do it, you can, too." She nods at me with tears still running down her cheeks. She kisses each of my cheeks just as Carra pulls back to.

"Why did you volunteer?" She asks this as if she were accusing me. Maybe she is.

I look down, not wanting her to see in my eyes that what I am about to say is true. "Because I knew you wouldn't make it in the arena."

She averts her gaze and purses her lips. A Peacekeeper opens the door and lets them know that their time is up. We all hug one last time, then they go. I am left alone, waiting for my dad to come in and say his final goodbyes. But he doesn't. Time ticks away and then I am escourted to a car. I ignore the pain of my father's absense. I watch as District 12 speeds by, and then we are at the train station. A load of cameras wait for us there. Darious takes my arm and leads me to the train door. _What am I going to do?_ I think. _Darious and I are both going in... and only one victor comes out. We will probably both die. _But I atleast have to try. Maybe I could win. What Darious and I have isn't even love. I know that. We may have been intimate, but we were pressured into it. Not by my friends, but by his. This is all an act, really. If it came down to me and him in the end, I would surely take his life. Survival instinct is more powerful than love in the Games. I have seen it happen many times since Katniss. There have been many star crossed lovers. And they usually killed eachother. I figit with my blue dress, the one my mother and grandmother both wore for the reaping when they were 16. According to my grandma, Katniss wore it, too. She said it was Katniss' mother's. But last year before my mom and gandma died, I was so mad at them for something I don't even remember and I refused to wear it. But I am wearing it this year. This is the Katniss wore into the Capital. As did my grandma and my mom. They were all victors. And all sixteen. Now it is my turn. And when I have a daughter, she will probably end up a tribute. _Not if I don't have kids_, I think. But there was a time when My mom and grandma and even Katniss all said the same thing. And now I'm here.

The train doors slide open and Darious leads me in. _The sooner I kill him in the arena the better. _I walk to a window and as soon as our escourt steps in, the doors close. My home speeds away at 200 mph. I don't want to think about it. So when the escourt introduces her self as Credinsa Mallasc, I run to my compartment. I am going to have to kill or be killed. I will die. The careers have gotten more and more fit since my mother won in the 155th Games. I examine my room trying to distract myself. A large bed in the in the cent wall. Plush couches and bedding. i walk around a bit more, and find a shower with all kinds of controls. I shower off, and let my hair loose. I dry off and walk around in a satin robe from one of the drawers until Credinsa calls me to dinner. I dress in an ebony colored flowing dress. The fabric is soft and see-through. It is sleeveless and cinched around the waste. It fits my form. I dress it down with a braid down my back. I wear kitten heels with black fluffs on the toes. As I walk to the dining cart, I notice the pictures on the wall. It's the victors. One is a man with the seam look. Underneath it says 'Haymitch Abernathy- 50th'. The next one over is a beautiful girl with dark hair and grey eyes. The same exact shade as mine. 'Katniss Everdeen- 74th-75th' and right next to her a boy who must have been my great grandfather. He has blonde hair and blue eyes. 'Peeta Mellark- 74th-75th'. After that my grandma with dark hair and blue eyes. 'Monika Everdeen- 106th'. Then my mother is the last. Dark hair, grey eyes. 'Posy Everdeen- 155th'. I look away._ I look exactly like katniss_, I think to myself. When I reach the dining car, I see my mentor for the first time. Dark hair, grey eyes, olive skin. It's like looking in a mirror. "Katniss.." Katniss is my mentor.


	2. Chapter 2

I am shocked. "But, you're dead." I hardly whisper. Then I notice A man standing behind matching the photo of Peeta Mellark. "And..." The last thing I feel is my head hit the floor.

I wake up to see Katniss looking over me. She is trying to help me into my chair, and Credinsa is ordering an avox to get me a glass of water. Peeta just laughs at me. "How are You still alive? You must 117! Atleast!" I am seriously confused now.

"Willow, you're dreaming." Peeta says still laughing.

"What?" I ask confused as I hear Credinsa knocking on my door, and saying thigs like "_Are you okay, dear?" _and also_ "I'm coming in."_ No. Why is she coming in?

I hear a door open and close. Credinsa's heels click on the wood floor. I feel her sit beside me on the bed. "Whatever is the hold up?" She asks trying to sound sincere, but not totally winning  
me over.

"I must have fallen asleep after my shower." I say drowsily. I get up seeing that I am wearing the same black dress and shoes with the braid in my hair.

"Well, come one then. This year, your mentor is from District 4. Fishing. And they are the descendant of Finnick Odair, a victor who was in the 75th Games with your great grandparents. Her name is Cecily Odair. She was in the... 150th Games." She says playfully.

"Who is Darious's mentor?" I say sleepily.

"Herris Brandfar. District 3, electronics. He was in the 169th Games. Handsome young lad." She says thoguhtfully.

Credinsa leads me to the dining cart, and along the way I see the same picutres I did in my dream. When we enter the cart, I see my mentor. Long bronze hair, matched with sea green eyes. I have seen pictures of Finnick Odair, but she only has these atributes from him. She looks more like Annie Cresta, another victor. Then I remember Annie and Finnick were married. Cecily wears a long green dress that matches her eyes. She looks lovely. She smiles at me as I enter.

"Where's Darious?" I ask looking about the furnished room finding no sign of him.

"He asked to be trained separately. And also to dine separtely." Cecily says, her voice cool and smooth.

"Oh." I say. I'd have thought he would want to train with me, but I guess not. He must have thought it better.

"Is that okay with you?" Cecily asks.

"Yes. I'd prefer it, actually." I say matter-of-factly.

Cecily looks at me with those brilliant eyes. They are narrowed, as if asking, _"Are you sure?"._ She motions for me to sit down. I sit across from her. I take in the excellent smells of lamb stew with dried plumbs on wild rice, bananna pudding, roasted turkey, and fruits and vegetables I can't even name. I take a plate full of the stew, and gobble it down. It is so rich. After dinner, we drink tea and watch a recap of the reapings. District 1, a large burley blond haired boy named Massis, and a small girl with red hair named Marilyn. District 2, a girl named Saphire and a boy named Ignigma. District 3, a boyish looking girl named Seri and a small boy named Elron. District 4, a sexy demoniss named Katrina and a handsome boy named after Finnick Odair. Then up until District 11, it is a blurr. In 11, a boy named Kactit and his little sister Nightlock. _Wait, who would name their kid Nightlock?_ Then I see me running to volunteer for Carra and Darious mounting the stage. Then it's over. No game show host tonight, I guess. I go to bed and try to sleep. I don't dream.

When I wake, I see someone has an outfit for me. I dress in it not caring what it is. But I do like it. It is a black turtle neck longsleeve matched with a long slim skirt that is stretchy and easy to move around in, but hugs my every curve. I walk to the dining cart and find Credinsa missing. Oh, wait. She must be with Darious. But then I see Cecily is missing as well. There is a note on the table with my name on it. I open it to find that it is signed by Darious. It reads,

_Dear Willow,_

_I just want to tell you that all those moments we spent together watching the sun rise, meant nothing to me. I really had to hold back barfing when we kissed. But you are good in bed. When I come home a victor, I am going to sleep with Carra. And Primrose. And all your other friends. I will do whatever it takes in the arena to destroy you. _

_Love, Darious_

Why would Darious do this? He knows that he has ensured his death now. _It's a trap, _a small voice in the back of my head whispers. Maybe Darious has some kind of plan to get me to come after him in the arena_._ He is definantely on my kill list now.

I ask one of the avoxes where everyone is, but they don't answer. Then I remember my mother telling me about how the avoxes had their tongues cut out. "Oh, sorry." I wait a moment. "Could I serve myslef?" The avox nods. As I finish loading up my plate, Cecily walks in with her hand on her head.

"I should not have drank so much wine durring dinner last night." She says as she grabs another glass. I grab a seat and eat quietly.

"Any life saving advice?" I ask hoplessly.

"Yea. Stay alive." Cecily says fiercly. She takes a gulp of a red wine.

"Okay." I say slowly. That's real specific. When I finish, Darious comes in and says he can see the Capital. I go to the window and watch as the candy colored buildings come into view. They don't seem real. But they are. The outside go black. We are going through a tunnel. Then we emerge from it, and we see the sponsors waving at us. They are all pasty white with wigs and alterations. Some even have whiskers. These people waving and smiling at us disgust me. But they are my last hope. I wave and smile back. The train slowly comes to a stop. We all go to the exit, and I find Credinsa trailing behind me. This time her dress in longer, but still blue. It barely passes her knees. The door slides open and we are hustled by Peacekeepers into a car with tinted windows. We are now heading to the training center to be prepped for the opening ceremonies. The Capital is so colorful, it is almost blinding. We stop at a building that must be atleast 12 stories tall. Darious and I are lead into the building and into an elevator with about 30 different button. Credinsa presses the one labled '12' and we are shot upwards. It is exilarating. I want to do it again. But I fear I might throw up all the rich food from this morning.

"Isn't it exciting? You have the whole top floor to yourselves." Credinsa trills.

"Yea. Very." I say humoring her. We step off the elevator and into a whole new world. The floor, the walls, the ceiling, all made of slick, shiny metal. The chairs and dining table are as well. There are rugs in the bedrooms. Oh, speaking of the rooms. They are gorgeous, very.. futuresque. There is one wall in my room that is just a screen. It shows any part of the city  
the press of a button. I am admiring a picture of the forest when 3 people noisely come through my door. They have clearly been surgically altered. Their hair is dyed unnatural colors and their lips are overly plump.

"We're your prep team!" They say simultaniously. They go to work immediately. Stripping off the hair from my legs, arms, and torso. They pluck my brows, then scrub me with gritty foam. They put me in a sweet smelling bath. They wash my hair and shave my arm pits. As if I can't do it myself. Then they towel me off and put me in a satin robe. I sit waiting for my stylist to show. When they do, they are wearing a black dress. Her hair is long and black.

"Hi. I'm Putra Crane. I'm your stylist." She says smiling.

_Holy shit. She is the most famous stylist and she is doing 12? _I smile back. "Great to meet you."


	3. Chapter 3

Putra Crane leads me back to my bedroom. _Like I don't know the way._ When she opens the door to my room, I am in awe. She has changed my room into a beautification center. Rows upon rows of makeup. And then, an outfit for the ceremonies. She has me sit down as she works on my makeup. We didn't have makeup back in District 12, so this is something all new. Only she doesn't do what I expect her to do -cake my face with makeup and call it good- she does the opposite. The only make up she puts on me is eyeliner and mascara. The she glazes my body gold sparkles, which I personally hate. But I don't complain. When she is done I look at my golden naked body. The eyeliner is simple. It looks better than I thought it would. I can't help but think how my mom and grandma and even Katniss all had this room, had this bed and even these sheets. I look away from the mirror when I think about my mom. Thinking about home is not going to make me win.

"Ready for the outfit?" Putra says calmly.

"Very." I say relieved I won't be naked any more. But I am only disappointed when I find it is a black lace body suit. It has a black bra in it and black underwear, but the coverage is minimal. I think of how it would've looked on Carra. _S__top thinking of home! _So I go back to now.

"I like it. It's very.." I search for words. "Sexy." That'll have to do. An image pops into my mind of Darious wearing something identical. I start laughing, which causes Putra to become self aware.

"What?" She asks defensively.

"Sorry." I say still laughing. "I just imagined Darious wearing this!" and I go into another fit of cackling. Putra joins in. Credinsa stops the fun when she says the ceremonies start in 10 minutes.

Putra leads me to the District 12 chariot where we find Darious and his stylist. _I'm going to kill you by next week._ I am shocked by my thoughts. We can hear the roaring crowd, which only builds my anticipation to get this over with. I don't bother looking at the other tributes. It will only make this more real. Right now I could pretend this is a dream, and that I am not going to kill innocent people. I don't let curiosity get the best of me.

Putra tells us to get on the chariot and try to like we're happy to be here. The first chariot pulls away into the city circle, then the next and the one after that. My nervousness builds as Darious stands to my right. Before I even know what is happening, we are being pulled into bright lights and screaming crowds. I smile and wave. I try to count the people wearing fish bowls on their heads, but lose track. I have lost feeling in my legs now and grip the front of the chariot so hard I think it might break. Then I hear president Milston Paylor's voice.

"Welcome to the 175th annual Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor!" He trills. He has a whole speech prepared, but I tune in and out. Then suddenly we are being pulled away. When we reach the Training Center, I am thrown into a maze of stylists, prep teams, and other tributes. Specifically Finnick, from District 4. I clash into him as Credinsa tries to swing me away from the crowd.

"Oh, Sorry!" I say in exasperation.

"Oh, it's alright. No harm done." He says with a sly smile. I am taken away by his smoothness. I am still partially pressed against him, though. When I try to break away, I find my lace has caught on one of the tiny fish hooks he wears.

"Oh, let me get that," Finnick says. He unhooks it with one swift motion, and in another brings his hand to my face. He strokes my cheek momentarily, his gaze fixed on mine. "You have an excellent complexion." he says as if entranced.

I only hope the gold somehow hides my blushing face. "Thank you," I say smiling. "You have brilliant eyes." Something stirs inside me, something I haven't felt since the third grade when my crush kissed me on the cheek. He had done it out of the blue, I was taken by surprise.

He leans down to whisper in my ear. "You know, I'm not with the careers. We could be a team." His breath smells sweet. Like sugar.

I whisper back, "We could. I am handy with a crossbow." I can only hope my breath doesn't smell bad. Back home I navigate these waters -flirting- so easily. Of course this is just to have fun while I can because I know I won't leave the arena alive.

He lets out a breathy laugh, and replies, "I bet you are. See you at training, 12." He is whisked away by his mentor, a short balding man.

I am left with butterflies. Credinsa yaps at me to come along, so I do. I have actually forgotten about the note Darious left me for a while thanks to Finnick, until I see him evilly glaring at me waiting for the elevator.  
A renewed rage fills me, I have always had a bad temper. But there is something else there as well; grief. Why? I have no idea. I never loved him. And sleeping with him was a huge mistake. All I got was -no I am not lingering in the past. Maybe because we had formed some level of trust. Or had we? Maybe it was just me...

Credinsa babbles on about the chariots -who was wearing what, how our costumes were better than most years, how the other tributes were eyeing me-, which I ignore. I just really want to take a shower and get some sleep before the first day of training.

I head immediately for my room, not wanting to be in the same room as Darious any more than necessary. I strip my clothing from my body and step into the shower. The warm water feels unusual, although I have taken a few showers before -last night, on the train, and when I turned twelve in the Victors Village before I was forced to move to the seam with my father.

Before then, I only took baths because every time I thought of a shower I pictured someone coming in and stabbing me, and I felt it was safer in a bath. Then after my first reaping I had to go live in the seam for unknown reasons. My father and mother split after my mom found out she was pregnant. My father wasn't around much -he was always working in the mines- and when he was there he ignored me completely.

I don't know why I was so surprised when he didn't come to see me. He never wanted a daughter. And if he did love me, he probably didn't come because he didn't want to except his only child was going to compete in the Hunger Games.

_Stop living in the past, Willow. _And I don't want to.

So I just rinse myself. When I go to dinner, there is a spread of food I don't remember. We watch the recap of the opening ceremonies, then I go to bed. I dream of my mother.


	4. Chapter 4

**I think it is evident by now there will be no POV's. So Sorry! I forgot and will put some in the coming chapters.**

I wake with a throbbing head ache -I binged on wine last night- that refuses to go away. I have been drinking for about 3 years now, as an escape. I don't get as bad hangovers anymore, though. Just aching heads and foggy minds.

I rip my covers off and go straight to the shower. Before I do, I get a glimpse of outside. It's dawn. The cold water feels amazing -clearing my mind- but I don't bother washing myself. Blurry images of last night come to mind as I take in the smell of vomit. The wild turkey dipped in chocolate which was surprisingly delicious. Glass after glass of wine. Terrorizing Credinsa by eating the meal with my hands and chewing with my mouth open on purpose. And then- what is that?

I see a large patch of blood on my bed sheets -I didn't bother closing the bathroom door. _Miscarriage. _The word floats into my mind from no where. I had a miscarriage. But I wasn't even sure I was pregnant.

I look at my shaking hands and tell myself it is for the best. But a small voice in the back of my head is nagging at me, _It's your fault. You drink too much. _Which brings tears to my eyes. _I killed my baby. _From this experience I know I am definitely _not_ going to have kids if I make it out of the arena alive.

I step out of the shower and am dried by a machine. I wrap a towel around myself, even though I am dry. It is comforting. I leave my hair wet, but put it in a french braid. I walk out of the bathroom to find a wide eyed avox girl with my color of hair starring at the bed.

"Miscarriage.." I say though it is barely audible. The avox looks at me, nods her head once, and then goes to work cleaning the sheets and mattress and replacing everything stained.

When she is done, I dress in the training outfit she leaves for me. Simple tight black pants and a tight blue shirt with quarter-length sleeves. On the way to the breakfast table, I try to forget what happened without success. On this morning, the metal floors and walls feel unforgiving. Like they know what happened.

_I'm surprised the avoxes are up this early,_ I think. Then I remember she initially came to drop off my training clothes. I sit in the living room for a few hours, until I see Credinsa and Cecily come out of their rooms wearing robes -clearly not ready for the day. We sit at the table for a while, not talking. Cecily is the first to speak.

"The training room is in the basement. You and Darious will go together, I already spoke with his mentor." She says after she takes a gulp of coffee.

I am still shaken from the events this morning, so I don't really listen when she tries to explain what to do. Credinsa goes back to her room after she eats. I pick at a roll, not really hungry.

"And remember not to show your skills. What are your skills, anyways?" Cecily asks.

What? "Crossbows. And also, I guess, hand in hand combat." I say starring at the roll.

"Really. Interesting." She says thoughtfully.

My mind flashes back to the reaping. People always think Carra, Primrose, and I are arrogant and stupid. We try to go for nonchalant, but nervousness wins over and makes us act like the whole thing is a joke. It's our way of coping.

"And again, three days of training, then you have a day to prepare for your interview, the interview, and the next day the Games begin." Cecily pauses, as if considering something. "On second thought, I think you already know what you need to do for the interview, so we'll spend the morning working out your strategy for the Games... And also how we want to present you."

I simply nod, not knowing what to say. But that sounds fine with me. I am just going to grab a pack and get out of sight of the cornucopia as fast as I can.

Cecily looks at her watch, and motions to the elevators still looking down. I follow her directions. The whole ride lasts about a minute, with how fast the elevators go. Before I can even try to sort things out in my head, the doors open. But not to the Gymnasium. I look at the floor number, I am stopped at four. I look over just as Finnick steps in.

"Hey ally." He says smiling that seductive smile he always does. My heart melts.

"Hey" I say coolly. He is wearing the same thing I am, and it defines his sleek lean muscles perfectly. _Holey shit. _He looks amazing. I clear my head of this daze and notice he is looking me up and down.

"Want to train together?" He says hopefully.

_Yeah, we could do a whole lot more, too._ "Sure" I say suppressing my thoughts. I look down at my feet.

He looks at me with concerned eyes. "Something wrong?" He puts his hand on my shoulder as he says this, causing electricity to flow through my body.

I look at him, putting on a mask. _Oh, no. I just had a miscarriage and then in four or five days we're going into an arena to fight to the death. I'm just peachy!_ Of course I don't say this. "I'm fine." I say with a smile. He obviously knows I am lying but doesn't press me anymore.

When the elevator reaches the Gymnasium, I am in awe with how large it is. There's station after station, all of which must be necessary, right?

I am surprised when Finnick grabs my hand and leads me to the semi-circle of tributes. They are surrounding the instructor, a tall man with black tattoos on his bald head. He quickly explains the rules of the Gymnasium -no fighting with other tributes is basically it- and lists off each station.

I am quickly whisked away by Finnick and we are flying across the Gym to the edible plants station.

"Need to brush up on my skills," He says already identifying poisonous berries. I join in and find I rather like this station.

I memorize quite a few of the berries along with the plants. I find out that pine has a softer inner bark that is moist and good to eat because it is high in vitamins A and C. Then we are off to knot tying -mostly snares for humans and animals a like. Next we throw spears. Finnick is actually very good at this, he can hit a dummy square in the heart from almost 30 ft. away.

He insists that we go to the archery station -I prefer crossbows but can manage a bow and arrow. I finally give in and try my best to hit my target. Which I am actually aiming for less vital parts of the anatomy so people will think I am incompetent. It works.

All of us tributes are directed to a room just off the Gym, the cafeteria. Finnick and I sit together in silence for most of it. I am startled when Saphire -District 2- comes and sits down with us. Finnick and I stare at her in silence. She looks at the two of us.

She clears her throat. "I want you guys for allies." she says this not as a question. We continue looking at her. "Look, I am not with the careers. Personally I hate the idea of careers." Something in her voice makes me believe her. "I saw what you guys can do, and I want in with your-" She stops, examining us. "Whatever you have. Alliance. Yeah."

"No." Finnick says sternly.

She looks shocked. "Then you guys are first on my kills list." she says and then stomps away back to the other careers. _Not with them my ass._

I look back at Finnick, with his brown hair and sea green eyes. Those mesmerizing eyes. "Well then." I say.

He turns his attention back to me. "You can never trust 1 and 2. I am kind of glad that 7 took 4's place in the career pack. Now I couldn't be with the careers if I wanted." He smiles at me. I know he is telling the truth about them.

I zone out deep in thought. _I am glad, too. I am glad I have the chance to know you before I die._ I am so deep in thought -what my life would be like right now if I hadn't volunteered. How Carra would be handling it- that I don't notice that they dismissed us for more training until Finnick is shaking my hand in both of his and saying my name repeatedly. I look at him, and he says my name once more.

"Willow, come on. Back to training." I let him pull me back to the Gym.

We spend the next to days going station to station. Finnick tells me about District four and all the reasons his parents named him after Finnick Odair, a victor who was friends with my great-grandma and helped her in the MockingJay rebellion. Something about how his mother had always felt strongly connected to him. I tell him about my life back home, and my friends. I basically tell him my life's story. I even tell him about how I slept with Darious. I do not however tell him about the miscarriage. When Finnick asks at lunch on the final day why I volunteered for Carra, I actually have to confront this reason myself.

"I guess... I know she wouldn't have made it. She actually has a future. Her great-aunt lives in town and is leaving her shoe store to her. All I had was-" Finnick interrupts me. I am kind of glad though because I don't even know where I was going with that.

"What about the Bakery? What happened to that?" He asks. He means the Bakery my great-grandfather Peeta's family owned.

"It burnt down after my mother was born. She was very good at baking. A talent she got from, I guess Peeta. I know how, but I don't care for it much. I more of see myself running an apothecary shop like Katniss' mother did. I am better with medical stuff. Anyways, they lost everything in the shop and my grandma could have bought a new shop, but that one had been in the family for years. So she bought a shop for her little brother's birthday. For a while it was a bakery, but then went south and now is a fabric store." I catch my breath.

"Oh. Interesting." Finnick says as they start calling people for their private session.

We keep talking, the conversation have turned down another road. Mainly nonsense. Then Finnick is called and I am left alone with my thoughts. _What is he showing them? Probably throwing his spears. What am I going to show them? I am going to show them what I can do with a crossbow. Maybe even a bow and arrow since there are almost never crossbows. I wonder what score I'll get. _Then I start thinking about Finnick again and what will happen in the arena. _What if we are the last two? The odds are against that. I know I will probably die before the final four, if that. But if I don't win I want Finnick to. He is so sweet. And he deserves to, having lost all his siblings to the Games. I wish we knew each other before the reaping. I know we would have been friends. Or would we? What if he is just pretending-_ I stop myself there because I hear my name being called.

I calmly walk into the Gym, and go to the bow and arrows. There is no crossbow, of course. I pick a target, and shoot it right in the heart. I do this over and over all the while trying not to show how nervous I am. I do this until they tell me I can go.

As I am leaving, I hear one of them say, "Just like Katniss." This really rubs me the wrong way, that they even have the guts to say her name. I have Katniss' temper. But I also have more control. So I decide not to shoot an arrow at them.

I walk to the elevator and press twelve. _They are the ones who killed her. I hate them. I hate the Capital._

When the door opens to my chrome colored home/cell, I walk straight to my room. I am still enraged, but over a new thought.. I am not just like Katniss! I am not going to start some stupid rebellion and get everyone I love killed. I do not run like my grandmother told me she did at the sight of blood. And I am certainly not going to have kids and put them through this hell. It's her fault I am here. Victor's children are always chosen. If she didn't volunteer for her little sister, she wouldn't have gone and then my grandma wouldn't have gone, and my mom wouldn't have gone. Even though I wasn't chosen this year, I would've been next year for sure.

In all this rage, I begin to understand why she volunteered for Primrose; it's the same reason I volunteered for Carra. It's because you rather die than watch them be brutally murdered.

Credinsa comes to my door, telling me it's time for dinner. I am thankful that Darious decided to even eat separately. I can't stand the sight of him. I saw him a few times during training. Finnick had noticed, but didn't comment. Thank you Finnick.

The meal consists of fish soup, oysters on crackers, orange flavored chicken, and for desert a cake in the shape of a heart. _Typical._ Cecily and Credinsa chatter on and on about who knows what. Cecily finally asks me what I did in the private session.

"I shot dummies with a bow and arrow." I say plainly starring at a mountain of cake on my plate.

"That's good. What did they say?" She asks taking down another oyster.

"They said I was dismissed." I take a bite of cake. I decide it is dry and tear off pieces of it and dip it in hot chocolate. This makes Credinsa frown.

Cecily just nods and takes a sip of wine. We are quiet for a while until Credinsa announces tea-time and we go to see the training scores. Darious and his mentor join us. I cringe.

All the careers are in the 8-10 range. Finnick comes up with a nine, which makes me smile. That little ally of mine. The images and scores blur together until Nightlock's face appears with the number 6 underneath it. Darious receives a 7, then when my own face apears my palms start sweating like crazy. I see the number 9 flash under my name. A nine! That was more than I hoped for.

I go to bed, and wake to Cecily hanging over my bed starring at me.

"What?" I say annoyed.

"I know how you're going to present yourself. You will be sexy." She says this as if it is the last number in the square root of pi.

"Okay. I can manage that." I say thoughtfully. She pulls me out of bed and waits for me to get dressed. We spend the day planning my strategy for the arena. I practice walking in heels a bit. I tell her about my alliance with Finnick. She acts approvingly. Then we eat dinner and go to sleep for the next day. It is going to be my big chance to get sponsors. And in the Games, sponsors are your savior.


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm gonna do Finnick's POV next chapter when the Games start. I might do one this chapter. We'll see.**

I wake up to my prep team lingering over me. Their happy smiles make me want to throw up, because the only thing I'm feeling is nervousness. I get up and they take me by the hand and put me in a tub of green water that smells like pine.

One of them works on my nails while the other go to work mixing colors together for drawing patterns on my body. Then they dry me off and go to work drawing a pattern on my cheeks. For eye shadow, they do a black smokey eye that is actually very flattering. Then comes velvety red lip stick. When I look in the mirror, my hair is in loose curls that are extremely flattering. My eyes look cat-like, and taunting. The pattern on my cheeks make me seem other wordly.

Putra comes in, carrying my dress. It is long and black. It goes stops just above my ankel. It seems all I wear now a days is black. I like black, though so it doesn't bother me.

When I put the dress on, I notice the padding in the breasts and around my hips. It is gathered at the waist, giving me an hour-glass figure. The dress is one-shouldered. The shoes are black patten leather, 5 in. pumps. All in all, they succeded. I look extremely sexy.

By the time they are done prepping me and dressing me, it is already time to head down to the interviews. I catch sight of Cecily on the way, and have to ask her something.

"What is Darious's approach? Or do you even know?" I say carelessly.

"Yes. Cold-blooded." She says and turns away to keep walking.

Putra leads me down to where the back-stage area is, and tells me to keep from crossing my legs, or the dress will tear. _Nice job, Putra. I can hardly move in this dress anyways. _

I catch a glimpse of Finnick, who is wearing a light green suit. On any one else, the suit would ridiculous. But on him, it looks welcoming. He looks at me and smiles. I smile back. _If only we had one more day..._ Then a thought accures to me; the Training Center roof. I could tell him to meet me there so we could hang out a little before we have to kill each other. _After the interview._

The next thing I know, all of us tributes are walking onstage to take our seats. I can here the roaring crowd and see a gazillion faces. I take my seat, remembering not to cross my legs. This will be hard, since I always cross my legs. But I'll manage. My palms start sweating and my heart beat hammers away in my chest. I subtely wipe my hands on my dress. _Thank god it's obsorbant._

Each interview only lasts three minutes, but it feels like forever. Finnick goes for sincere and determanded. Saying how he was going to win this for his siblings. I know he's not lying, about anything. I have a very keen sense when it comes to truth. A trade I picked up from my mother. It feels like hours, and then Nightlock is walking towards her seat next to the host. I don't know his name; I don't really care. She I know is lying, she is trying to be innocent but I can already tell she would kill you in a heart beat in the arena.

Her brother, Kactit, is like so many from his district. Strong and silent. But also, says he will do whatever it takes to protect his little sister. Then my name is being called, and I automatically go into performance mode. I strut over to the chair, shake hands with the host, and slyly smile at the audience.

"Welcome, Willow. How are you liking the Capital so far?" He asks me like he knows me.

"Well enough. The food is the best thing so far." I say smiling.

"The food. Really. Now if I am right, your mother was in the Hunger Games?" He asks.

"Yes." I say nodding.

"And her mother, too?" He says.

"Correct." I say smiling.

"And she was Katniss Everdeen's Daughter?" He says.

"Mmhm." I look away from him, feeling anger starting to boil. I hate it when Capital people say her name.

"So Since they were all victors, do you think you stand a chance of winning?" He asks me as if I don't.

"Umm... Maybe. I did hear a lot about it from my mom before I was 12. Just things a mentor would tell you. So, possibly." I say trying to sound like I am almost purring.

"I think you do. What about you, folks?" He asks the crowd. They all scream different answers, most of them yes. He laughs the way all hosts do. His bright red wig moving back and forth on his head. "So tell us. How did you get the nine you did in training? Mostly District 12 gets low scores. But not your family, obviously." He says trying to be flattering, but just really pissing me off with his comment about my district.

"Just doing what I do best. And that's a secret." I say with a wink.

"Of course." He says this just before the buzzer goes off, and I instantly know I blew it.

_They know nothing about me! How did it go that fast? That was hardly a minute! _And then I am walking back to my seat and Darious is walking up. By the look on his face, I can tell he knows they cut my time short. _Dick._ I am still mad at him for what he did. Although he has always been blunt about things. He spares feelings for no one.

He succeeds in coming off cold-blooded. But then again, he was always cold-blooded. And I mean always. Even when his mother was mourning after his baby sister starved to death. He said to get over it. And I start to wonder why I even dated him. _It was that or be left with the kids from the comunity home that just made everyone depressed. _I feel bad for thinking that. But in return I hung out with merchant kids. And I don't know why, but being excepted was to important. But Carra and Primrose were my bestfriends since we were able to say 'mama'.

Darious is done and we all have to stand for the anthem. Then we are escorted off-stage. Putra tells me I did a great job and not to worry. Tomorrow Cecily and Credinsa will be getting me sponsors like no other. Well, of course only Cecily can actually seal the deal, but Credinsa can find them, too.

**Surpirse! Finnick's POV. I know.. It's short.**

I look for Willow, wanting to wish her luck, and tell her that before the gong sounds, to find me and then we will meet and run for it. But once I get sight of her, I only have time to smile at her before her mentor drags her away. _Damn it._

I can't help but feel like I should have said something, like told her I would bet on her if I could. Or... No, we're allies. That's our connection. I don't have feelings for her. I can't. I won't let myself. But the way her skin felt against mine... It was magic.

**Willow's POV**

Cecily practically forces me into the elevator. "What's your problem?" I ask defensively.

"I don't have a problem." She says calmly. "But you do. The way the District 2 boy was looking at you... It looked as if he were going to rip your clothes off and go caveman." She says this as if it were evident.

"What?" I ask not wanting her to mean what I think she does.

"I think that might be a problem in the arena." She continues ignoring what I said. "There aren't any rules against it. Well, there are no rules." She says rolling her eyes.

"Oh." She does mean what I thought. "Maybe we should have presented me as a defenseless cry baby." I say looking down.

She puts her hand on my shoulder. "If he tries anything... You can defend yourself. I have seen you fight." She says reassuringly. But I really don't know what I would do. "Now, you just take a shower and eat a big breakfast tomorrow. You'll need it. Trust me." When the elevator opens, she stalks off to her room.

I shower off the beauty that my prep team worked hard on. I find some warm sweat pants and a hoody. Then I go to dinner as Credinsa is walking to my door.

The food tonight is indifferent. The same ol' spread of delicacies. I don't really feel like eating, having heard what I did from Cecily. So I just dunk a roll in hot chocolate, pick at a steak, and sip wine. After we have tea and watch the interviews. Cecily was right, Ignigma, the boy from District 2 was undressing me with his eyes. Even when we were still sitting in the semi-circle. He has a military style haircut, the kind Peacekeepers have. And blue eyes, solid blue eyes. He is handsome, but nothing compaired to Finnick, who shines like a star. Wait, why am I compairing him to Finnick? Nevermind. We watch the interviews while Darious just stares at me, making me uncomfortable. Then I see myself walking to the interview chair. I look radiant, every eye in all of Panem trained on me. _Every eye._ This eco's in my head, and I realize that no matter what I said -I could have said that I had an orgy with munks-, everyone would still be distracted by my looks. And I mean _everyone. _Even Darious is taken away; even though he saw me before we were even on the elevator.

I tell everone I am going to bed, which isn't totally a lie. I am, but not to sleep. I am going to wait for them to fall asleep, then going to sneek up to the roof to have some solitude before I die.

I sip in the cool night air. It reminds me of winter in District 12, except this smells like the Capital. Obviously. Back home, everything is covered in coal dust. It gives it an even more depressing look. But it's home. The streets down below are crowded with people wearing costumes. Wait, don't they wear costumes everyday? Whatever. I look down at them enviously, they never have to worry about starving to death. They never have to worry that their children will be sent to an arena to fight to death. They don't have to be sick to the stomach with anticipation to get through the Hunger Games and be on with their lives and try to forget. They don't have to pay for what they didn't do.

I hear a door open behind me and turn to see Finnick. Oh fate, you're silly. He smiles at me.

"I had a feeling I'd see you hear." He announces to the air.

"Well, like mother like daughter. How did you like the interviews?" I say.

"They were the same as they are every year. Except you. I did not however like how the Ignigma boy was eyeing you." He says now standing inches from me. My back is to the open air, and his right arm resting on the railing. This is a little close for allies. But I don't really care; it's Finnick.

"Yeah. My mentor said that might be a problem in the arena." I say acting cool.

"I won't let anything happen." He says putting his other arm on the railing. Now on either side Finnick's arms encircle me. I get that feeling again, the warmth that grows through my body.

"Really?" I say. "And what's it to you?" I ask rolling my eyes.

He just stares at me with those hypnotizing eyes. "I won't let him do that." He says seriously. Okay, this escilated quickly. But I kind of like that he's becoming protective. _Ugh. Now isn't the time. Any time but now. Not when we're about to be sent to slaughter. _

"And what will you do if he does?" I ask with equal seriousness.

"I'll kill him. I'll make sure his last words are a cry for mercy." His eyes harden. By now he is pressed up against me. My breath quickens.

"Why?" I ask. Curiousity has gotten the best of me.

" Because, I-" Cecily and I am guessing a man who is Finnick's mentor burst through the door. I won't get to know why now. Damn it.

"What are you two doing out of bed?" They ask. "Get inside now!" And so we do. When I am finally back on my floor, I Cecily speaks first.

"I'm sorry. Jo insisted we look for you guys. He had come up for advice on something, and somehow the conversation ended up with us finding your rooms empty. I actually don't remember how." She says. I am confused for a moment, then remember Her, Jo -who I am guessing is Finnick's mentor-, and Finnick are all from 4. So she probably knows them.

"Well you had great timing. I was going to here Finnick's reason for wanting to kill -Umm..- Ignigma if he tried anything in the arena." I say annoyed.

"I'm not at all surprised. Finnick and Jo are close. He told him how he feels about you. And Jo told me." She says obviously regretting it immediately.

"And how does he feel?" I ask intrigued.

"Nevermind, that. Go to sleep." She pushes me towards my room.

"Night." I mutter. How does Finnick feel about me? Why would it make Cecily not be surprised? These are questions that should be answered, I don't want to die not knowing. But now they won't be. How can Finnick know how he feels about me? Or I guess that should be rephrased. How do I feel about Finnick? Well obviousely he's my friend. But could he be more than that? If we hadn't met through the Games?

Then I start to wonder what Finnick is thinking and how he is coping. And I decide that's enough thinking for today. I need sleep if I am going to live.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys, sorry it took so long! I was really wrapped up in this one fanfic I was reading... So yea. And I know, I know. POV's next chapter. R&R**

I am strolling through a forest. It is the most lush, greenery I have ever seen. A large tree comes into view and I feel the corners of my mouth tilt up. I start to climb the tree, the seemingly ruff bark smooth on my hands. When I am about 80 ft. up, I feel the branches retracting. The stumps that my feet were on disappear. The next thing I know, I am seeing myself screaming and falling back-first to the ground. Right before I land, I see myself stop. I don't see anyone, but I feel someone shaking my shoulders.

"Willow, wake up. It's just a dream." I open my eyes to Credinsa -already powdered and puffed- starring at me.

"Why are you up so early?" I say looking out the window to see that it's dawn. "I don't go to training until ten." I shove a pillow over my face.

"Today is the day-" She stops a moment. _This is the day- what?_ "Today you go into the arena." She says pulling the pillow off my face. I glare at her.

"What are you talking about?" I ask slowly.

"Your interview was last night." She says.

"Oh." Is all I can manage. I've been dreading this day. A memory flashes back to me from Training.

_"How have you been holding up?" I ask as he finishes tying a knot._

_"Umm. You know. Just as any other tribute." Finnick says starring at the knot. He sighs. "I'm terrified."_

"Now come on and get ready for breakfast." Credinsa says, snapping me back into reality. Gosh, I hate reality.

I dress in the same clothes as last night, sweat pants and a sweat shirt. I will be changing in the catacombs any way.

I know I will need my strength, so I eat as much as my queasy stomach will allow. Which isn't much. I am to distracted in thoughts that will be answered soon enough. What will the arena be like? Each time someone in my family entered the Games, the arena was almost exactly the same. My mom made me watch everyone's tapes -her's, grandma's, and Katniss and Peeta's- so I would be prepared. The only difference I noticed was the booby-traps. The terrain was the same, the tree's were the same. Sometimes I would think that they used the same exact arena Katniss and Peeta were in, but just 'improved' it.

I do have one advantage; I lied to the Games host. My mom didn't just teach me strategies, she trained me. She taught me how to use a crossbow as well as a regular bow. She knew I would be reaped one time or another, so she did whatever she could do for me. Until I was twelve. But that didn't bother me. When I was four I could hit a target dead center. But she also taught me hand-in-hand combat. As well as knife throwing. I am pretty decent with an ax, too. Now that I think about it, I could beat a career. I really could. Even if all I had to defend myself with was a mace.

I hope desperately that the arena will be a forest. That would be perfect, that's what I was trained in. My mother would take me out of the district and train me. It may have been illegal, but whatever. Rather be executed in my district than die in the Hunger Games.

Cecily says good bye, as well as Credinsa. Darious and his mentor are there too, which annoys me. I forgot his mentor's name, not like it will matter. Then our stylists lead us to the roof and onto a hovercraft. Once on, a lady injects us with our trackers. I already know everything that will happen, from my mother's Hunger Games stories. As well as my grandma's. I did meet Katniss, the last time when I was five right before she died. I remember something she told me for when I was in the Games. Feels like they all knew I would end up there.

_"Only trust yourself." _She had said this before drifting off to sleep. Peeta had died only a year before. I don't remember much of him, only this one memory of him teaching a four-year-old me how to kneed dough.

Tears cloud my vision at the thought of my family. I quickly swallow back the sobs and straighten myself up.

_"Don't let them see your emotions." _My grandma had said. And so I don't. I especially can't show Darious. All the other tributes are sitting in seats, strapped down, in the same room. They could certainly guess my weakness if I let the slightest glimmer of doubt show.

_"Be fearless."_ My mother had told me the day before I went to live with my father. _"And remember, we all love you, Willow."_ I shake my head so my now silky hair is in front of my face. The tears are coming back.

The whole ride to the arena only lasts an hour, but it feels like eternity. All the way there Ignigma is just starring at me. Finnick is starring at him, and I am starring at Finnick. I can literally smell the tension. _Well, this is awkward._ I think to myself. But honestly, I don't know what to think.

The windows black out and I know we are nearing the arena. Then I am certain when we land. All the tributes and their stylists are escorted out into a perfectly white room. It's kinda creepy with it's low ceiling and wide walls.

An avox leads Putra and me into the catacombs, and to my preparation room. The room is empty, except for a rack with my clothes on it, and a table holding a tray with two items on it. I don't really care what they are, I am to nervous and shaky.

Putra frowns when she see the clothes. "These are all made of heat reflectant material. You should expect cold. And lots of it." She helps me dress. Then she pulls a fluffy black snow suit off the hanger that I obviously hadn't noticed. By the time I've put it on, I have realized that- wait- a snow suit. What the hell._ Oh my fuc-_ Putra cuts my thoughts short when she holds the tray out to me. I see what is occupying it; a hunting knife and a small loaf of Everdeen bread.

Everdeen bread was named after my Family, because Katniss invented it. It looks like normal bread, smells like normal bread, but certainly does not taste like normal bread. It is made from inner pine bark, nuts, dried plumbs, blueberries, raisins, a bit of cinnamon for flavor, and it is enough to keep someone going for a week. It is so filling, one slice serves for an entire meal. But it is also completely dehydrating.

This could be my survival, this could win me the Games. If nothing happens to it. I have find water, though. I am still concerned as to why I am dressed in a winter suit.

"Willow, remember. Don't go for the supplies at the cornucopia. This is enough for you. Nobody else has it. Only you. Not even Darious. He has I think a small loaf of pine bread. Each tribute has a different kind of bread, one that comes from their district. So you have Everdeen bread." I can tell she is struggling with this goodbye. She stuffs the knife and bread into a small backpack and forces it on me. "Every tribute also gets a pack. Oh, and you all have the same knife." She says, sniffling.

I nod my head and hug her. "Thank you." I whisper. "Thank you for not dressing me up like a clown." I feel tears well in my eyes. "Thank you for being my stylist." I still don't know why she chose me, but it doesn't really matter right now.

I step away from her, trembling. She pats my head. "You can win if you set your mind to it." She says reassuringly.

I nod just as the robotic voice on the loud speaker says, "Prepare for launch." I look at Putra one last time. She smiles at me as I step into the tube. Immediately the doors close, encasing me in glass. I am being pushed upwards, my heart pounding so hard I think I might have a heart attack.

A white light gleams in my eyes blinding me momentarily, then I see white everywhere. Snow is falling, staining my eyelashes and loose hair. I should have braided it. All I can hear is my heart beat, but I know that a count down from sixty is being said. And I can see it on the timer above the cornucopia. I take in the arena that is split into thirds. One third is what appears the be a frozen lake at the back of the cornucopia, closest to the tail. To the right of that is a flat plain covered in snow and trees. Then to the left of the cornucopia are mountains. By the end of the count down, I can only form one thought: Oh shit.

**Dun Dun Dunnnnnn What will Willow do next? I will be posting the next chapter tonight or tomorrow.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Guess who's POV this chapter's in? FINNICK'S. Hehe. And Willow's.**

I clasp the knife in my hand, prepared to do the unthinkable. I have to find her. I have to make sure she wins. I have known her for barely a week, but I have had enough time to feel as though we're old friends. I spot her positioned to run, then running, to the flat, tree covered plain. The gong must have sounded. I can't hear anything through the intense beat of my heart in my ears. I see the world flying past me and become aware I'm running to her. She has a good head start on me. I run fast, though. I see a 12 year old girl slitting the girl from 3's throat. She had come off as sweet and gentle in her interview. She looks at me and nods. Are we allies? I can't remember. Adrenalin is coursing through me, causing me to run faster. The girls eyes are cold and unforgiving in the simple nod. She opens her mouth to say something, but then quickly shuts it and sends a knife soaring past my face and into a giants heart. Her brother? No, that's someone else. I turn my attention back to Willow, who is disappearing into the thick woods.

I push my legs to move faster, cursing myself when my knees try to buckle. I don't allow it, I can't. The first tree passes me, and then another. I am in the woods. I call out Willow's name as more trees speed away, but she doesn't turn. She only yells something. I hardly hear it but I know what she's saying. She's telling me to follow.

We run for hours, finally slowing when the first cannon sounds. Then another. And two more. Then three more, and it stops. Small blood bath, I think. We catch our breath while I take in the scenery. Snow flowing down from fake clouds. Thick pine trees covered in snow. Bushes with berries I know for a fact are poisonous. Then I see Willow. Her Grey eyes appearing almost white with the frozen world reflecting in them. Her black hair flowing down to her hips, peppered with snow flakes. Her olive skin appearing very pale. Plump lips opened sipping in the icy air. Indeed a beautiful sight. If only what was going on inside her head wasn't there.

**Willow's POV**

I catch my breath as I lean on a tree. Finnick is here, and I am very glad. I didn't find him and wait, like I had intended to. Instead I ran like a cowered, but he still came after me. What a great ally I am.

"We should keep moving." Finnick says breathlessly.

I nod my head in agreement. "We can find a sturdy tree to sleep in. I saw my mom do it in her Games." I think only a moment. "Wonder where she got it from." I add sarcasticly.

"I... Umm..." He hesitates.

"You... What?" I press, even though I already know the answer.

"See, I-" He cuts himself off.

I grab his arm and pull him along as I start walking towards where I think the mountains are. "Talk on the way."

"On the way where?" He asks eagerly trying to change the subject.

"To the mountains." I say looking forwards. "Now talk." I demand.

"What's gotten into you?" He asks casually.

"The arena." I say curtly, stopping to look at him. "Now what were you going to say?" I ask a bit more softly, realizing that I sounded a tad bitchy.

He looks at his feet and says, "I can't climb trees." He then looks down into my eyes, towering over me.

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. "You can't climb trees?" I ask failing to hide my laughter now. "I'll help you." I motion to a tree near me. I already could tell he was incompentant with climbing from training, but it's even funnier when he admits it.

He shuffles his feet, unsure. I remember where we are and look around cautiosly. "Why are we going to the mountains?" He asks trying to change the subject.

I push past him and start up the tree showing him how to climb. "I'll tell you when you climb to me." I say.

I am about 20 ft. up when I see Finnick still on the ground looking unsure of himself. I give him an encouraging nod, but he shakes his head with equal enthusiasm.

"Okay. Well I still have to see that we are going the right way, so you keep guard. And be careful." I add. I haven't been acting very seriously, which is what will get me killed. Finnick nods at me, and repositions his knife.

I climb up further, and notice how dark it has become. And how tired I am. The reality sets in once again, and I go into a fit of hyperventalating. _Oh, no. NO NO NO NO NO._

Tears cloud my vision, the icy air stinging my eyes. I wipe them away, my hands cold as the air. Why didn't they think to give us gloves? Stupid bastards. I realize I am never going to see District 12 again. I am never going to see my friends again. I am never going to sneak into the woods again. I miss them. Every one of them. All the people in 12. All the people at the Hob. I even miss my dad.

Reality comes back in an ice cold punch to the throat when I hear another cannon. I look down to find Finnick, but he isn't there. "Finnick?" I say quietly. Nothing happens. I climb lower down, hoping to find him, but only to be disappointed when all I see is snow. I dare to say his name again, for a career could be within hearing range. "Finnick?" No reply.

I drop down out of then tree, forgetting how high I was. I crash into the earth with a solid thud, and feel something in my left arm snap. I don't however dare to make a sound of pain. I am already being careless enough.

I don't bother looking at my fore arm where it snapped, because I know what a broken bone feels like. And this is definantly broken. I huff out air, trying to keep my pain silent, but failing when I let out a small whimper after trying to move it. Tears squeeze out of my eyes. I realize I have held them closed tight since the second I landed. I gingerly open them and look at my limp left arm. Blood staines the ground and I feel the warm sticky liquid trickling down the right side of my face.

I must have hit the right side of my face on the way down, bounced off and landed on my left side. That seems logical at the moment.

I try to focus on finding Finnick, and say again, "Finnick?". I wince at the sound of my voice, for it is filled with pain. I try to sit up, using my left elbow as a lift and pushing up with my right arm.

Pain courses through my back side as I feel a hard kick. I am thrown forward onto my face, screaming as my broken arm hits the tree. _What the hell?! I am not supposed to die on the first night!_

I regain my position of sitting and turn to my assailant. Ignigma. With another hit to my right temple, I am knocked unconscious.

I feel pressure on my stomach, and open my eyes to see all the careers towering above me. They look at me with a smile on their face and evil in there heart.

Who I remember to be Katrina, has her boot on me and is lowering herself to sit on me as she says, "So you're finally awake. You kept us waiting a while, Everdeen." Did she just call me Everdeen? I don't know, I can hardly here through the beat of my heart.

I can feel my pack under me, thankful it's still there. I'd die before giving them Everdeen bread. Katrina grabs hold of my chin, and pulls out a knife that must be from the cornucopia. "Does this look or feel familiar, Everdeen?" She asks trying to sound like Clove when she and Katniss were in this same situation. Except Katrina's from 4. And She's not Clove. And there is no Thresh to come to the rescue. And I am not Katniss.

"Actually, yes." I hiss. "Anytime now you should be dying."

"This is where you end. Not me. And don't worry about my district partner. We already took care of him." She smiles. "We wanted to save you for the final 8, but," She continues. "We're here now. So, all well."

I look away, the feeling returning to my left arm. Why would they save me for the final eight? I realize they took my snow suit, and wonder why they would have possibly done that because they all have their own. Then it dawns on me. They want to ensure that I die painfully.

The snow seeps into the black clothes I'm wearing, assuring me that they are no longer reflecting my heat. I start to shiver, or was I already? I don't know.

Katrina grabs my face, looks at my left arm, and smiles. Then she grabs my fore arm and jerks it around like crazy. The pain is so intense, I am blinded. I start flailing my limbs around and feel myself slap Katrina. She gasps and stops. I am panting, whimpering, blinded, and shaking with cold. I feel a knife cutting my cheek. Then it stops and a new stinging at my neck lets me know where the knife is. I hear screaming, but it isn't me. It's far off. I hear foot steps and then Katrina is saying she wants to finish me off. I am going to die.

Nothing happens for a while, then when the cannon sounds, I wonder if it's me who died. Katrina says they must have gone farther off and killed another poor soul. Why is she talking? She said 'poor soul'?

I feel myself being lifted. I must be placed on someone's shoulder, but certainly not Katrina's. I hear more voices. I don't really care. I just hope Darious dies.

There's the motion of moving foward, and fast. There is shouting. A cannon. Then oblivion.

**Finnick's POV**

I watch her as Katrina pulls something out of her pack. "I got it at the cornucopia. It should help with her arm." She mutters.

I look at the cotton wrap in Katrina's hand. "Do you have anything to disinfect it?" I ask failing at trying to not sound worried.

"No, but it can wait. These Games should go quickly 'cause this is a small arena and everyone has a knife. I do have this thing that would work as a splint." She says as she holds out a long and flat piece of metal. "I don't know why the Gamemakers thought it necessary to have, but whatever." She says as she rolls up Willow's sleeve. She then puts the metal on her inner fore arm and wraps the cotton around it, securing it.

"She's blue." I say quietly. I pull off my snow suit, and place it beside me.

"What are you doing?" Katrina asks.

I ignore her, and pull off Willow's wet clothes, but leave on her under wear and bra. Her skin is a pale blue shade, so different from it's usual olive tone. She's breathing, though, and that's good. I inch her limp body into my snow suit, and then zip it up; being careful for her injuries.

She has cuts on her cheek and neck, from Katrina. A broken arm, a deep cut on her fore head, and bruises all over her body. Including the massive bruises Ignigma gave her on her mid back and temple. She black and blue and red.

I gently lay her on my lap, being careful for the bruise on her back. I try to rub warmth into her, but gently, oh, so gently.

I am so glad I killed Ignigma.

**I know, long chapter, lots of excitement (lol), and a lame ending. Yeppers.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Yea, yea, yea. Short chapter. Nothing really happens, just explanations. I promise excitement for chapter nine. Can you guys guess what is going to happen/why Katrina left? I don't even really know... Maybe I will use an idea from you guys. You never know... Of course that will only happen if there actually are people reading... I hope, other wise I am talking to myself.**

**-Love and Hate and Sex and Pain**

I wake up in a cold sweat, eyes closed, and shaking. I am panting, the cold air hurting my lunges. I open my eyes and see someone's arm around me. No snow suit. I am wearing one, though. But the careers took it. And when they did, why didn't they take my pack?

I sit up and groan when I put weight on my left fore arm. "Willow?" I hear someone ask.

I turn to them slowly, and see Finnick. "Hi." My voice is barley audible, but he smiles and gently pulls me onto his chest. "Where's your suit?"

"On you." He says brushing hair out of my face.

"You need it though." I say like a child.

"All you have without that are undergarments." He says like it's obvious.

"Oh," I mumble. Then I become curious. "What happened last night?"

"Well, first, the canon we heard was for Nightlock. She fell into the lake." He pauses, waiting for my reaction. When there isn't one, he keeps going. "We were actually heading towards the lake. And oh-so smart me, went to check out what it was. Then you fell, the careers found you. Apparently Kactit joined the careers. He was off killing someone else when they were supposed to be killing you. But then when he came back, Katrina, my district partner, said she wanted to kill you off on her own. Little did they know, she's on our side. She had to do something so they wouldn't be suspicious. When they left, I went back to get you out of there. But Ignigma came back, there were words spoken, and then I killed him." He catches his breath, causing me to move along with him.

I nod my head, trying to absorb all that. _So Ignigma was the last cannon._ "Where's Katrina now?"

"Hunting." He says. "Why?"

"I just have to ask her something." I wave the thought away.

"Hmm?" He hums.

"Just... Why the careers took my snow suit, but not my pack." I mumble.

"Oh." He replies. I snuggle my head into the crook of his neck, trying to keep us both warm.

We stay still for a while, just holding each other, until Katrina comes back. It's lighter now, and I see that we are hidden by a shaft of rock. Where are we?

"I didn't get anything. There is nothing in these god damn mountains except rocks!" She loudly whispers. "You're up. How are you feeling?"

"Fine, thanks. Just, why didn't the careers take my pack when they took my suit?" I ask.

"Oh, well they figured that if it was given to somebody from an outlying district, it couldn't be that important." She stops, then says, "But of course they don't know about..." She looks around and lowers her voice. "Everdeen bread."

"How did you..." I begin not knowing exactly how to finish.

"My aunt works in the bakery. All the bakers know about it, but they can't replicate it because they don't know what the secret ingredient is." She shrugs.

I nod my head, then change the subject. "What is our mission?"

"What?" They ask in unison.

"Well, it can't be just to avoid." I say like they are crazy. "Or.. it.. can.."

Finnick smiles and Katrina snorts at my easy give-in. I sit up and grab my pack. I unzip it, and find a squashed loaf of Everdeen bread. Then my knife, and get a slice for each of us. At first they refuse, but eventually give in, too. We are each full on one slice. Then we decide to rest some more, since we are all still exhausted from so much running yesterday. We are well hidden, so we don't bother to have someone keep guard. I fall asleep in Finnick's arms, and then a couple hours later am woken by the sound of cannons. It is noon now, we slept the entire morning. It's freezing. So tonight will be frozen hell. Poor Finnick.

"Wonder who they were." Finnick says. I close my eyes and silently agree. I feel him move around, looking back and forth. "Hey, where is Katrina?"

**Okay, I know. This is a short chapter just to explain. Next chapter will be action packed, I promise. But ooohhhhh a lame cliff hanger. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Hellow, lovelys! Sorry I don't update a lot! I am home schooled, but I still like to read a bunch. SO I cannot promise a chapter everyday (obviously), but I can try for every other day. Possibly. Or every two days. Yeah, you can count on that. And I want to say thank you to all my wonderful reviewers Not just on this story, but on all my other fics alike. Any ways, this is off the topic of this story already, but here it is. Chapter nine.**

Finnick grabs my right arm and pulls me behind large oak tree. The rest of the careers are near by, with night vision glasses. My heart pounds in my ear, so I can barely make out their words.

"Where are those little-" A girl says and is cut off by another girl.

"Katrina said they are farther in the mountains. And we aren't even in them. We're at the f*cking edge of the goddamn forest, Marilyn!" She says.

"Will you please put a stop to your petty cat fight?" A boy says.

"Shut up, Kactit! You're f*cking lucky we even let you join us! You are just a little pussy who pushed his sister into a frozen lake to save his skin! You goddamn nig-" a girl says.

"Saphire!" Another boy says. "You never say that!"

"Come on, it is just a word! It's ancient!" Saphire says.

Then I think Marilyn speaks up again, "We're wasting time! Let's go!" They all mumble words of assent, and set off at a jog.

I look at Finnick, knowing he knows our prediction was right. When we woke up and Katrina wasn't there, we figured she really was a career and just wanted us out of the way. I'm surprised see didn't kill us in her sleep. _She likes Finnick, _a voice in the back of my head whispers. That makes so much sense. If she tried to kill me in my sleep, I would have woken up screaming. Then Finnick would have awoken, and chaos would ensue. But if she just tipped off her fellow careers about our location, then she wouldn't have to kill Finnick. But that must have been a hard decision. Kill an Everdeen and kill the boy you like or even be killed by him, or have other's do it for you and let them take all the glory.

"I am so sorry." Finnick says suddenly. "I trusted her, and we almost got killed. It's just that, we were neighbors our entire lives." he admits. And then looking away he mumbles, "I am the stupidest person in the world."

"No you're not." I say grabbing his face and making him look me in the eyes. "Don't talk like that. You are one of the smartest people I know. You figured out that Katrina was a trader. You took care of me when I was unconscious, and vulnerable. You could have killed me if you wanted." I pause, thinking this over. "Why didn't you?"

**Finnick's POV**

I tell her, and then it's out and I am more vulnerable than ever. I don't tell her, and it's one more weight on my chest if I out live her. I've never felt like this before. And I have never been so worried in my life. When I saw her on the ground with Katrina, my heart broke. I didn't protect her. Even if she needed protection from herself, I still had to protect her. And I didn't. I stupidly went to see what the noise at the lake was.

When I speak, I immediately regret it. "Because we're allies." I can see slight disappointment in her eyes, but I ignore it. I grab her hand and pull her away from the mountains.

Hours later, we can see the lake through the trees. There are four tribute walking crossing it. _Idiots._ They are four of the fourteen tributes left, and they are just out in the open.

Surely the careers have figured out we aren't in the mountains, and they will have gotten tired of a wild goose chase and are probably looking for any tributes to kill.

I hear Willow gasp and grab onto my left arm with her good one. This time she pulls me behind a tree. I don't know why she would be so scared of those tributes, they all look weak. I peak my head out from behind it and see a more threatening pack of tributes. The careers. I peaked my head out just a little too far, because Kactit see's me and points me out. They start charging for they trees, slaying the other tributes on the way with quick thrusts of their swords and accurate aiming with bows and arrows. God, I am the biggest idiot in the Games.

I grab onto Willow, and run as fast as I can. Good thing she is as fast as I am. We jump over logs and bushes, occasionally Willow trips, and the careers get closer each time.

"You can run, but you can't hide! Ha ha ha!" Marilyn says then cackles.

"Shoot them!" Massis yells.

"They are too far away, dumbass!" Saphire screams. They keep getting louder and louder.

"Run quicker!" I say to Willow. But then I risk looking at her face in a patch of moonlight, and I see her condition. She is covered by a sheen of sweat, she looks extremely pale, she's limping, hugging her broken arm to her chest, and blood is practically dripping off her bandage.

I forgot about all her wounds and bruises. I stop, and hoist her petite body over my shoulder and run as fast as I can carrying both of our weights. Which isn't fast.

**Willow's POV**

I can hardly draw in a breath, and I am starring at the four careers that are left. Red headed Marilyn and Blonde Massis from one, Saphire from two who is carrying a bow, and then Kactit with an ax from 11. God knows where Katrina is. It was easy to see them in the moonlit field, but here in the forest the trees form a canopy over head, effectively blocking out about 90% of light.

The careers have night vision goggles, but only Saphire and Massis wear them. The other two follow closely behind them. They are about 20 yards away, a lot closer than I would like.

Finnick is running hard, exerting himself way to much. He is panting like no other, especially since we haven't found water yet. We are both dizzy.

Finnick suddenly banks to the right, entering the field. Why are we here?

"You can't run forever, bitch!" Massis yells. This really rubs me the wrong way.

"What did you just call me?" I shout at them, immediately regretting it but not caring because he just called me 'bitch'!

"You heard me, _bitch_!" He yells back. I struggle out of Finnick's arms.

"What the hell are you doing?!" He hisses.

I ignore him and run to the careers. I might die right now. I probably will. Saphire shoots at me, but I dodge the arrow, actually I duck and grab it. I grabbed it!

I continue running at them, screaming profanities, rage boiling over. I reach the first victim, Saphire, and slice her neck with the arrow before she can even thrust her sword in my general direction. Then comes Massis, and I lodge the arrow into his temple and then his eye socket while dodging the ax he carries.

Suddenly Finnick is beside me, holding the ax, and chopping away at Kactit's heart. Three canons fire. I squat quickly and grab the bow and sheath of arrows that Saphire idiotically only had over shoulder. Grabbing them is quite hard with only one arm, but I manage.

By the time I am done, Marilyn has reached me, and is swinging a sword at me. Before I can react, she is slicing my left arm that is pinned to my chest. It only nicks my muscle, but then the sword comes back and leaves a gash on my fore head. I gasp in pain as she tackles me and pulls out a knife just as Katrina had.

She smiles maliciously at me, sending chills down my spine. "Any last words, Everdeen?" She purrs.

"Yes." I clear my throat and say, "If you get to cocky, you may get aids and die." Shit. That made no sense. I blame loss of blood.

She looks at me like 'What the f*ck?'. I make a quick decision, grab the tree at my head with my right arm, and swing my legs up. My feet hook around the front of her neck and pull her head down and crash to the ground, causing her scull to crack as it lands on a rock the size of my hand. _What luck._

**Finnick's POV**

I check the career's packs, finding an empty water jug, and a pack of matches. Seriously, that's it?

I run to Willow as Marilyn's canon fires. She is bleeding in two new places, her arm and fore head. "Dammit, Willow! You could have just died!" I shout.

I lean down and grab her arm, and haul her onto my back as the Capital seal appears and shows the eight dead tributes. From 14 to 6 in a matter of minutes. The audience must be having the time of their lives.

Willow passes out on my shoulder. I carry her to a large willow, where I lay her down and clean her wounds the best I can. I nibble on some of my seaweed bread, and watch her sleep. My throat is so dry. My head is pounding. We're not going to last another day without water.

I wake up Willow, feeling bad because she looked so peaceful. I help her get in the tree, and make sure she isn't going to fall if she goes asleep. I tell her to stay there until I get back. She doesn't argue, just nods and chews on her bread.

I arm myself with the ax, hoping to see some animals. I set out with a slow jog, right now looking for water. I spot a snow hare, and know there has to be more.

**Willow's POV**

I wait patiently Finnick to return, thinking he must be freezing. He is only wearing the black clothing that we are supposed to wear under snow suits. I think about making a fire, but then decide against trying because you need two hands for that. So instead I analyze the days events and eat the rest my bread.

Katrina betrayed us. I was kind of expecting that. Finnick and I almost were seen by the careers as they were looking for us. The careers saw us and killed two districts without even batting an eyelash. The careers chased us. Finnick killed Kactit. I killed three careers. 12 must be going insane. The last time someone from 12 killed a career, was 101 years ago. Katniss had killed two of them.

I start to smell smoke, and know immediately what is going on. The Gamemakers are bringing us all together. I carefully climb out of the tree, and see that there is no smoke near me. But there is more toward the lake. I can see flames in the distance, but, that fire doesn't look Gamemaker made. It looks like a bon fire.

I hide the bow and arrows in the willow tree I was just in, and get my hunting knife out of my pack. I walk towards the fire, ready to kill at a moments notice. I don't know why I haven't felt bad killing the careers. Maybe because they were trying to kill me. No, that isn't it. Because they were careers? NO. Definitely not. Because of survival instinct...?

As I get closer to the fire, I see someone standing there, taking sips of water and roasting what I think are rabbits. I go behind a tree, and see that the person is Finnick. I step out as I become light headed and my knees buckle.

Finnick turns, see's me, then immediately runs to me with the water jug and puts it to my lips. I sip slowly, knowing that if I drink to fast I will probably just throw it up along with all my bread.

"I told you to wait at the tree. I was going to cook the rabbit away from there so the remaining tributes wouldn't know where we are. And also I didn't want you to have to wait for the meat and become even more hungry. And the water just finished purifying." I stop drinking.

"Purifying?" I ask.

"I had iodine in my pack. Didn't you?" He asks innocently.

I shake my head and keep sipping. Why didn't I get iodine? I got the dehydrating bread! Maybe his mentor got it special for him. But then that would be illegal. And mentors are smarter than that. He would know that the Gamemakers would see Finnick pull it out of his pack.

"That's odd." Finnick says interrupting my thoughts. "I think the rabbit is done."

I stop sipping and smile, feeling much better. I get up and go closer the fire that I now see is in fact, a bon fire.

All the sudden, I feel a pang of guilt. What, why? Because I killed. I took people's lives. They will never see their families again. But their death is my survival. But now that there are only six people left, where does that leave Finnick and I? What happens if we are the final two? And all this is on me, because I had a temper tantrum. Good going, Willow.

"What's wrong?" Finnick asks.

"I just killed three people, Finnick." I saying trying to catch my breath. Instantly I know I am having an anxiety attack.

"Calm down." He says rubbing my back. "You did what you had to. Their families may be mourning, but so are the families of the people they killed. And if they killed us, our families would be broken, too." He says and holds me. "You'll be alright."

He calms me some how, even though his words didn't help much. For the first time in the arena, I think I may actually have a chance. I could be alright. But then Finnick would have to die.

I just nod my head and let tears fall from my eyes as I bury my face in his neck. I wrap my right arm around his neck, standing on my toes.

He holds me until my breathing returns to normal, pulls away and then says, "How about that rabbit?" And smiles.

I smile back, and walk with him to the large spit he made from a branch as long as I am tall. He pulls it off carefully, and cuts off a leg for me. The meat is gamy and oily. It is still delicious. After we eat, extinguish the fire and pack the other rabbit. We walk to the willow tree that is about 50 yards from where we were.

Finnick helps me climb the tree, and then climbs it himself. I have to tell him where to put his feet, but he eventually makes it to one of the many forks in the gigantic tree. We hug the branches and fall asleep as the birds start chirping.

**Yeah. I went there. I killed off all the careers! Mwahahahaha! But we still have Darious's fire to extinguish... And Katrina's. **


	10. Chapter 10

**I am soooo sorry I haven't updated. I had my birthday, and friends over, and craziness. But now I will be updating more regularly. But here you go!**

I open my eyes, and my broken arm is throbbing. It has of course been throbbing since I broke it, but it is worse now. I moan slightly, causing Finnick to shoot awake. He looks around, and then at me. A mask of concern clouds his face.

"What's wrong?" he asks panicked, but sleepy.

"My arm. It's killing me." I whisper.

Just then, I here a twinkling coming from the above. Looking up, I see a silver parachute. I smile as I remember Cecily. She is looking out for me. The parachute lands on a branch above me, and I tear it away before it can slip to the ground. I open the case to see a clear bottle with give or take, about 20 pills in it.

A wide smile spread across my face. It is morphling, but in pill form. And this kind of morphling is a little different. It doesn't knock you out, just kills the pain.

I open the bottle, and dump two pills onto my palm. I am about to put them in my mouth, when the ground starts rumbling and all the animals start running towards the lake. I look at Finnick panicked, and he is already jumping from branch to branch to get to the ground. He screams at me to follow, and I do so.

The second I land, he grabs me, and we run. We leave behind the sleeping bag, not caring or remembering. Good thing I slept with my pack on. We follow the path the animals are taking. Soon ash is raining down over us, and I know what is happening. I learned about them in school back in 12.

"Volcano!" I shout. Finnick looks at me and nods. He is from 4, which he told me in training is very mountainess. The last volcano there was 2 years ago, and his family is still recovering.

All the sudden, we enter the field where the cornucopia sits, and I see the lava raining over the mountains. So this is the device they are using to bring us together. I see the other four tributes left, Darious and Katrina, and another district. They are on the top of the cornucopia, and Darious and Katrina are slaughtering the poor tributes.

Finnick and I decide that there is no where else to go as the tribute canons fire. Four left. Suddenly, I remember that I had dropped the pills and silently curse myself. We run to the cornucopia, and start to climb it but then Finnick says,

"Wait, the gold will melt and we'll be dead." I see the fear in his eyes, and nod my head. We start running for the lake.

Darious and Katrina must have the same realization, because just as the lava is about two yards from the cornucopia, they straight up just jump the 15 foot fall from the middle. They run as the burning magma chases them. Half of me wants them to burn so I don't have to face them, but the other half wants them to come and fight. Then there is more chance of Finnick winning. Or me. Who ever dies.

How can I think like that? I am not ready to give up Finnick. No, I never will be. He's grown on me. I haven't let myself acknowledge that, but it is true.

I look at Finnick, and make a in-the-moment decision. I take his face in my hands, and pull him to me. His lips me mine, causing all sorts of emotions to erupt. Sadness, hope, fear, and... Love.

I take in his musty scent, intoxicating and manly. His hands find my waste, and pull me flat against him. My soft, petite figure melds into his hard, muscled one. I wrap my arms around his neck as he slides his tongue into my mouth. I grip onto him for life, never wanting to let go. But I do. There is work to be done.

I pull away as he opens his eyes, panting. I am panting as I say, "Ready to be a Victor?"

He starts to object, because he knows I practically just said 'Ready to watch me die and have to live with it forever?' but Katrina chucks a knife at us in a fail attempt to thin the herd. Finnick dodges it and says, "Are **you** ready to be a Victor?"

We don't here the next knife whizzing through the air. Finnick is on the ground, clutching his shoulder as a knife sticks out of it. I react and help him up, telling him he's going to win. He is going to win. He will win. He has to.

I make a quick decision as I turn around and see Katrina and Darious, being swallowed by a wave of liquid fire. Their canons sound. It's me and Finn now.

I lean Finnick on my right side and run across the frozen lake, that is now melting. Blocks of ice are starting to drift about, and considering that the lake take up most of the arena, we have a ways to go if we want to get to the end of it.

We walk on the one strip of ice that ends in the middle of the lake. As we near the end, I look back and see that the lava stopped, and is now actually retreating. What.

I look down as I hear cracking, and see that the ice is breaking off. It is quite a large block, so I let Finnick sit down so I can remove the knife from his shoulder.

"Finnick, I am going to fix you up and it'll all be okay." I say as tears cloud my vision.

"Willow..." He starts but I put my finger on his lips.

"Not another word. It'll be okay." I say swallowing back sobs.

Pulling out the knife is not easy work. And the fact that I have to do it with one arm makes it worse. Finnick moans on the ground while I tinker with the knife, crying. What a sight we must be.

Finally, I manage to pull it out. Blood seeps out, making me gag. What was I expecting, sleeping syrup?

"Willow, I know I won't make it-" I cut him off by shouting,

"No! You are going to go home to your family! You are going to fall in love a lucky girl and die with them!" I couldn't hold back the sobs now, gosh I really have fallen for him.

"I already did fall in love." He says taking my hand in his. "And I am dying with them." I look down. He puts his finger under my chin making me look at him. "And I want you to know, I will always love you. Always."

I cry even harder, and hug him tightly. My throat has closed, and Finnick is rubbing circles on my back while 'shh'ing me.

I pull back slightly and look into his eyes. "I love you, too."


	11. Chapter 11

**Two chapters in one night?! Woah! Hello, Lovelys! I hope you like chapter 11.**

I sit on the ice as Finnick lays with his head on my lap, singing softly to me. It is an old song that most of the districts know. Katniss sung it in her Games. Except she sung it to the dying Rue.

_Deep in the meadow_  
_Under the willow_  
_A bed of grass_  
_A soft green pillow._  
_Lay down your head_  
_And close your sleepy eyes._  
_And when again they open, the sun will rise._

Tears slowly drip down my face, as I comb Finn's hair with my fingers. His eyes are closed, and he just keeps singing the song over and over. I kiss his fore head, causing him to smile.

He opens his eyes, and keeps singing. His voice is low and musical. It could win over the heart of anyone.

We have been sitting here for an hour, shivering as he bleeds to death. I tried to reason with him, but he said the knife must have punctured a major vein if it hasn't stopped bleeding yet. Finnick sits up, causing more blood to gush as he does.

I press my hand to his shoulder, but he takes it in his and envelopes me in a never ending hug. I lay him down, on my right. He turns onto his side, and pulls me down to him. He cradles me, singing the song, stealing kisses as he does. I drift off, almost forgetting.

I am woken to a canon, and am soaking wet and shivering. I wonder who the unfortunate tribute was. Then I remember Finnick. I panic and see him next to me in the moonlight.

"Finnick! Finn! Don't leave me! Please! You can't go!" I start sobbing. My cries are cut short by the head Gamemaker.

"I present to you, Willow Everdeen, District 12. Victor of the 175th Hunger Games!" I cry even harder.

"Finnick come back!" I stop talking as my throat closes. Tears stream out. A latter drops from a hovercraft above, that I obviously hadn't noticed before. I don't touch it though. I just cling to Finnick.

A claw drops out of the same craft and latches on to the limp love of my life. I scream profanities at the claw for taking him. I give up and grab the latter with my right hand. I am frozen in place and taken up.

Immediately, a person in a white coat, who I assume is a doctor, injects me with morphling.

I wake up in a small room, wondering where I am._ Who am I?_ Then I remember everything in a flash. My childhood. My first reaping. Getting reaped. The Capital. The arena. Finnick. I love Finnick. I need to find him. But I am restrained.

An avox comes into view, and I calm. I am not in the arena. I am safe. The avox pushes a button on a control panel, and the top of my bed is adjusted so I am sitting. The avox, who I now see is a girl, places a trey of food on my lap. Soup. Apple sauce. Water. That's it. It's okay, though. I don't really have much of an appetite.

I eat quietly. No words to speak. Then words pop up. "Where is-" I cut myself off as I remember the last night in the arena. A tear slides down my cheek. He's gone.

I wake up again, and the same avox gives me food. This happens three or four more times, and then finally I wake up and the restraints are gone.

I sit up, by myself, and find that my arm is fully healed. Wow. I swing my legs over the side of the hospital bed, and stand. My legs aren't wobbly at all. Double wow.

I walk around the room for a minute, making sure that I am not going to fall over. Well I more of mope around the room mindlessly. I can't get over Finnick.

The same avox comes again, and hands me a black outfit. I jump back as I realize it is the clothes from the arena.

"Like hell I am wearing that again!" I yell at her. I scream at the avox until Cecily enters the room, congratulating me.

"You can leave now, avox." She says coldly.

"I am not wearing that, Cecily." I say pointing at the abomination.

"You have to wear it to meet Putra." She tells me.

"Ugh."

**Yes, short chapter, but next chapter will be goos. Trust me. Now some explaining. The story stops and picks up after the victory tour.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello lovelys! Here we are. Chapter 12. The story picks up three years after the Victory tour, after Willow has fallen fast to rock bottom. And she broke a couple limbs on the way, too. She lost Finnick. Her dad died in a mine explosion. Her friends died of starvation. She lost the people she cared about. She harms herself. The worst has in fact happened. Who can save her now? Even if it is from herself... **

I wonder mindlessly around my house in Victors Village. Three years since my Games and there have been, surprisingly, three more District 12 victors since then. District 12, won four years in a row. What's funny is that I mentored all them. The only other district that has accomplished that is 2.

I wonder into the kitchen, grabbing a large, sharp knife and dragging it across my left arm. The pain is dulled. But still there. I still remember the last time I kissed someone. That someone was Finnick.

After the arena, I came home to no one. My dad died in the mines. Carra starved and Primrose was stung by trackerjackers. I came home to a district that didn't care for me. So I stopped caring, too.

Blood drips down my to my finger tips as I hear a knock at the door. My wobbly legs carry me to entry hall. I haven't eaten for days. I haven't been hungry for years, though.

I open the door with my knife-wielding hand. It's Kaiden, the victor I first mentored. He was eighteen in his Games; we are the same age.

"I need to borrow-" He cuts himself short as he see my condition. My frail, thinning, petite body. Wrist dripping with blood. Knife in hand. "What did you-" my knees buckle and I fall. Kaiden catches me with his strong arms. "Oh my-" He carries me inside and to the kitchen.

He sits me on a chair as he says, "I am going to fix you up, okay?" His voice is deep and enchanting. Like Finnick's.

I can barely nod my head. I watch as the 20 year old searches the drawers, eventually finding my stash of bandages. He soaks a wash cloth with water. He walks to me and kneels, placing the wet cloth on my self-inflicted-wound. I put the knife I am still holding on the table.

"Why did you do it?" He asks me harshly.

I shrug and say, "Because I don't care anymore. I stopped caring the moment I got out of the arena."

"I saw you with-" he stops himself because he knows never to say his name. He learned that when I was mentoring him. He said his name, and I completely lost it. I was sobbing, screaming, and throwing things. I scared Credinsa half to death. "And I know it must be hard. But don't you have someone you can talk to?"

"No. They're all dead." I say bluntly. I'm surprised he doesn't know that already. Kaiden wraps the bandage around my arm. When he is done, he looks into my eyes with his blue ones. He has the merchant look. He's the new baker's kid.

"I'm not. You can talk to me any time." He stops, getting up to make me food. "I was in the arena to you know."

I don't reply. I just watch him move around the kitchen as he makes me Everdeen bread, to get nutrition into me. He also prepares chicken soup, but enough to feed a family. Oh no. An intervention.

Kaiden invites over the other two Victors, without my consent. The youngest is Matten, at the age of 16. Beatrix is the latest in the Games, though. She is 18. Matten was 14 in his games, and Beatrix 17.

Matten has a very strong personality. He is very perverted and he is not afraid to speak his opinion. You can see that in his Games when he tells off a careers that is about to kill him.

Beatrix is not loud and blunt like Matten. She speaks weirdly. You have to know her to know what she means.

When the food is done, Matten, Beatrix, Kaiden and myself are sitting at the table. Kaiden next to me, the other across from us.

"She is doing it again." Kaiden announces to the others. Beatrix sighs. Matten says,

"I thought we made it clear that if you did it again we would tie you down and spank you, Willow."

"Matten!" Beatrix says. "Worry is not necessary. You just need love." there she goes again.

"Kaiden, I still think we should spank her." Matten says. If we were a pack of careers, Kaiden would be the leader. And I would be his bitch.

"Willow, we made our point last time we had an intervention. Even if you don't feel like it, you still have purpose." I say the last part with him.

"Yeah. Okay. I won't do it again." I take a bite of bread dipped in soup.

"That's what you said last time. She won't get the point until we spank her!"

"Matten!" Beatrix says clearly annoyed. "We are not going to spank her! Grow up!" And she is back to normal.

"Willow, take this seriously." Kaiden says then pauses, looking at the other two.

"We don't want you to keep doing what you are doing." Beatrix finishes.

I keep eating, listening to their complaints and reasons for a while, until everyone is done eating.

"Willow! You're not paying attention!" Kaiden yells. "Stop with this cry for attention."

That hit home. Obviously never leaving my house at my own will because I get so sick to my stomach is a cry for attention. I will have to fix that for his fucking approval.

Kaiden storms out of my house, leaving the door wide open. Matten runs after him, leaving me and Beatrix to clean up.

"Mind them. Don't. I mean. Yeah, don't. Kaiden is an idiot." She says putting dishes in the sink as I wrap up the left overs.

"Yeah, I know." I mumble, not minding her crazy language.

"And Matten is still little. Pervert. Spanking, I mean, really? Did he think that Kaiden would be okay with him spanking you?" See, Kaiden is the leader.

When I finish, Beatrix is still babbling as her red ringlets bounce with her every move. Her natural color is of course blonde, but she gets expensive dyes from the Capital. I run my fingers over the bandage Kaiden put on me, and think of what Finnick would think if he was here. Try to answer some questions for myself.

_Would he comfort me? _I know he would. _ What would he think about my choices? _No idea. _What would he think of the others? _

My thoughts are cut short by Beatrix waving her hand in my face and saying 'Hellloooo?'

"I'm here." I say and giggle. "Hey, Bea, would you lock up down here and turn off the lights and that stuff? You have a key, right?" I question.

"Yeah, sure. Do you feel tired? Of course you do. It's late. You go and I'll do that." She says.

I smile and walk up stairs. I go to my room, and light some candles. In the candle light, I examine myself in my full-body mirror.

My figure was thin and small. My thick dark hair was to my butt, and crimped from my usual braid. I strip down naked, braid my hair, and climb in bed. I haven't been able to sleep with clothes, it just hasn't been comfortable.

I wake in the middle of the night, shaking with fear, as I leave the terror that comes to me every night. Every night I relive the entire arena. Every night my heart breaks over and over. Every night I watch Finnick die as I stand by, watching. Not able to move.

I look around and see I forgot to put out the candles. Finnick would have put them out for me. I sigh and stand on my wobbly legs. Just as I am about to put out the last candle, the urge to be with Finnick is so overwhelming, that I act on it.

**Kaiden's POV**

I hear a knock on my door. Who the hell is knocking on my door at 1:30 AM?

I run down the stairs in anger. Who ever it is, has hell coming for them. Waking me up at 1 fucking 30 in the god damn morning.

I open the door angrily and say, "What the hell do you want?" Then I see that it is Beatrix. She looks panicked.

"Willow bled out." She says quickly.


	13. Chapter 13

**Holey Shite! Hello Lovelys! I am on a role! Four Chapters in under 2 days. Ermagerd. Chapter Thirteen! **

**Kaiden's POV**

I run with Beatrix to Willow's house across the Victors Village. Her door is wide open. I run in, up the stairs, and to her room, where Bea told me she was. What the hell. Why would she do this to me? I don't see her in there, and then Bea shouts the word 'bathroom'.

I sprint across her room. I see her lying naked in the bathtub. It is filled with bloody water. She is fully under. Tears fill my eyes. This can't be happening. She can't be gone. I... cared for her. Oh, hell. I fucking loved her. She is gone and I may as well admit it.

I run to Willow and pull her out of the tub, and onto the white rug she has. I check her airways, and start pushing on her chest. Then, putting my lips to hers, I blow air into her lunges. Push. Air. Repeat. I do this about three times. Then I stop, and look at her.

Her fragile, naked, body is limp on the floor. Her dark hair is in a soaking wet braid. Her heart shaped face is pale, unlike the olive tone it used to embody before her Games. Her plump lips, slightly parted.

Suddenly, she breathes in sharply, opening her grey eyes. She's alive.

**Willow's POV**

My chest is throbbing and I am coughing up water. It takes me a second to realize where I am and who I am with. I look up at Kaiden, smile, and fall back and hit the floor. I've lost too much blood.

**XXX**

When I wake, I have a needle poking out of my arm that is connected to a tube, going up and leading to a bag with clear liquid. _Where the hell am I?_ I look around the tiny room I am in. I have seen it before. I am at the District 12 hospital. I was here once, when I was a kid. My mother was not good with apothecary, and I was too sick for my grandma to heal me. They said I had blood poisoning. I had almost died.

But why am I here now? Oh, yeah. I almost killed myself. Would've succeeded if Beatrix hadn't come back. Why did she come back?

I examine the bandage over my left wrist, and the new bandage they put on me for my cut from earlier. I have caused a lot of trouble. Gosh, I am so stupid. Stupid little girl.

Just then, Beatrix and Matten storm through the door. Beatrix looks shaken up, and Matten just looks annoyed. See? Stupid little girl.

"I am glad you're so okay!" Bea says, stumbling on her words. She runs over to the left side of the bed and kneels beside me.

"I still say we spank her..." Matten says.

"Matten!" Beatrix yells. "Shut up and be serious for once in your life!" Wow, I did not know Bea had that much power in her.

"Bea, how did you find me?" I say quietly, look at my hands.

"I had left my mood ring on the sink. You know the one I got after my Games, from Credinsa?" She explains. I nod. "I took it off there when I did dishes. I went back to get it. Also, I wanted to say hi, and check on you. But you weren't in your room, so I knocked on the bathroom door. When you didn't answer, I opened the door and nearly screamed when I saw you." She catches her breath. "And I am glad I did. Then I ran and got Kaiden. I knew that he would know what to do."

I just nod, again. There is nothing more to say. Thank you? No, I'm not really thankful. Wait, wait, wait, she's glad? Well, I guess we you could call us friends. All of us Victors are kind of like a family. But I never really thought we were that close. Maybe we were. Maybe Bea just cares. But, she cares for everyone. _Wow, I really just cannot except that someone could care for me. _

Bea keeps babbling, as always. Then something hits me, "Where is Kaiden?" He must've carried me here. Unless we took a wagon. Probably took a wagon.

"He locked himself in his room. He won't come out. He's really upset." She takes my hand in hers. "While he was bringing you back, you know, from death, he kept muttering things like 'Why would she do this to me?' and 'I need you.' and..." Beatrix stops, and looks at Matten. Matt nods. "He said he loves you."

"He said he 'fucking' loves her." Matten corrects.

"Oh," is all I say. He loves me? I can't think about that right now. It's too much. I push it out of my thoughts.

A nurse comes in, and ushers them out. She gives me a trey of food, a pudding cup, a cookie, and a glass of what I think is orange juice. I really like orange juice, but it is so expensive. Yes, even for Victors. So I don't know how the hospital can afford it.

"You know the escort?" The nurse says.

"Yeah, Credinsa Mallasc." I reply.

"She special ordered the drink for you." The nurse says flatly, answering my unspoken question.

"How did she..." I trail off.

"One of your friends called her, I think." Now why would they do that? I smile at the nurse, silently thanking her. She leaves, forgetting to close the door. Ugh.

I enjoy the food, I have always had a sweet tooth. I seem to over-load in the Capital, seeing as there is so much more available. Some people in the Capital call it "comfort food". But, then, they also call a lot of other things "comfort food".

When I finish, I put the trey on the bed side table, fold my hands on my lap, and wait. For what? Anything. Then I remember, someone loves me. Kaiden _fucking _loves me.

**I know, I know. Big change in the last few chapters from the beginning of the story. R&R, please?**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello, Lovelys! I have an official update schedule now, just go to my profile to see when I'll be posting new stuff.**

I was released from the hospital about a week ago, and have had to try to be happier around people that seem to be constantly checking on me. Why won't they just go away? I avoid talking with Kaiden, definitely not bringing up matters of the heart. I can't believe he loves me.

Beatrix is over, playing cards. We are eating brunch, blueberry waffles with chocolate chips and maple syrup. My favorite. For some reason, Credinsa has continued to send me oranges. I am grateful, they are my "comfort food". I am especially grateful for them with the reaping in just a few days. 'Tis always stressful around the reaping.

"Go fish!" Bea yells.

"What?" I say laughing.

"Didn't you pay attention in history?" She asks.

"Not really." I admit.

"It's what the ancients said when they played cards." She says matter-of-factly.

"I think I remember that. But we aren't playing 'Go fish'. We're playing what they called 'Poker'." I reply.

"Whatever." she mutters. She rounds up all the cards, starting to shuffle them. I watch her rhythmical process. Split, blend, bridge, a line. Repeat. I watch until I hear the door open. I look through the open door, into the entry hall. It's Kaiden.

"Hello?" He says, wiping his brow. He's covered in sweat, panting slightly, and a little red. Something about his appearance... It's... I don't know.

"In the kitchen!" Bea yells. She smiles as he enters the room. "We're playing cards and why are you sweating so much?" She asks cheerily.

"I just finished painting." he explains.

"Painting...?" Bea and I say simultaneously, the doubt clear in our voices.

"Yeah..." He trails off. "Ooo, what are you eating?" His eyes light up when he sees. "Waffles?"

"No, paint." I say flatly.

He looks at me and laughs. His laugh is low. Deep. Enchanting. Like Finnick's. _Oh, Finnick. How I wish you were here._

Bea gets up, breaking me from my thoughts as she noisily prepares Kaiden's food. "Where's Matten?" She asks.

"Sleeping." Kaiden answers. His blue eyes follow Bea's red ringlets.

"What were you painting?" I ask.

"Just an outdoor scene. You know." He says shrugging.

I nod, not feeling like talking any further. _He loves me. _The thought is in my head before I can stop it. I feel my face start glowing.

"Why are you blushing?" Kaiden asks. _Damn, he noticed._

I open my mouth but I here Bea's voice instead. "Because you said you love her." _Fuck. Shit. Fuck. Shit. Damn. Oh, gosh. Bea. Damn-shit-fuck._

Now Kaiden is the one blushing. He looks down, smiling. "I did, didn't I?"

"According to her. But Matt says you 'fucking' love me." I blurt out before I can stop myself. _The fuck happened to self control, Willow?_

"True." Kaiden says looking at me. "Bea, where's my waffles?" He asks, changing the subject. _Awkward. _

Bea is just standing in front of the sink, staring at us. _Do something!_ "Right here." She squeaks.

Kaiden smiles nervously. He starts eating. I watch how he holds his knife when slicing. He holds it a little awkwardly because of an injury from the arena. I look at Beatrix, her red hair, which is only to her shoulders. It was down to her waste, but it was burnt off in the arena. Matten, his scars, are in the form of plastic surgery. He had his face hit with a slug hammer on the right side, by the career he snapped at. That obviously happened right before he became victor.

I, am wounded internally. We all have our wounds. Some outside, but all of us are scarred emotionally, too.

We're all broken.

**XXX**

After they leave, I sit by the fire place, thinking. _How do I feel about Kaiden? About him loving me?_ To be honest, I have no idea how I feel about him. I care, but I don't know if I love him. I am flattered that he loves me. Alright. I am shocked. I am scared what that means. I don't know how to feel. Should I love him back? No, not unless I really love him. If I just pretended, that would be cruel. Cruel, cruel, cruel. And I don't want to hurt him. That's the last thing I would ever want to do.

The way he has control over me, it feels... Good? No... Right? What the hell... All of the above? And how I loose my head and say things with out thinking. Only happened once before... With Finnick. _And what else happened with Finnick? You fell in love._ Shut up, brain. You know nothing! Heart, what is your verdict?

_You like him_. I like him. "I like him." I say to myself. Love him? Not yet. I am still not over Finnick. Maybe I won't ever be. He was my first love. And he will always be in a special place in my heart, inaccessible to anyone else.

But hey, maybe two broken hearts can make one whole.

**I know, I know. Fluff. Yep. I went there.**


End file.
